INDIAN WELLS, MARCH 16: Marcelo Rios subdued Britain's Greg Rusedski in four sets here to lift the ATP Tour Champions Cup -- a victory that will boost him to number three spot in the world rankings.Rios, the seventh seed from Chile, fired a backhand cross-court winner on his first match-point to complete a 6-3, 6-7 (15-17), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 victory yesterday in two hours and 46 minutes.
Rusedski, who reached the final of the $ 2.45 million tournament with a dominant serving performance against Thomas Muster on Saturday, dropped his serve in the penultimate game with a double-fault on break point.
That was the first break of serve since the second game of the first set, when Rusedski was also broken.
Rios, runner-up to Petr Korda in the Australian Open in January, said his game plan against Rusedski, who blasted a record 149 mph ace past Muster on Saturday was simple.
After Rusedski won the toss and chose to receive, he had two break points against the Chilean in the opening game.
He failed toconvert them and worse dropped his serve to love in the next game to find himself trailing 0-3.
That was the only break Rios needed to take the first set.
The second set tie-breaker turned into a marathon affair. Rusedski finally won it with a forehand first volley on his seventh set point. Rios had five set points in the decider, the longest on the ATP Tour this year.
In the third set tie-breaker, Rios reeled off the last four points to put himself firmly in control.
``I think it's a big step in my career,'' he said.``Really you see that you can be even No 1 if you play good. One year ago I was 20, now I'm three, so you realise you can do a lot better. You get more energy to keep on going, try to be better each day,'' he added.
Rios, who hadn't dropped a set this week until the final, said even the world No 1 ranking was within his reach.
Gustafsson triumphs
COPENHAGEN: Second seed Sweden's Magnus Gustafsson won the $ 210,000 Copenhagen Open today, beating David Prinosil of Germany 3-6,6-1, 6-1.
After losing the first set Gustafsson sharpened his play, easily winning the second set in just 25 minutes. By the third set, the 37 ranked Swede looked firmly in control and took the set and match.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
